I do a lot of tramping with Tony Gazley who always carries his camera. These days, every time we get to a scenic spot – we both think yoga pose! The first one that always comes to mind is tree pose (vrksasana). It’s such an easy pose and does wonders for improving your balance over time, in particular by strengthening the muscles in your feet, ankles and knees – especially when you take your shoes off or try it on uneven ground. It’s such a key pose for trampers, that it was one of the 5 that I featured in my recent article in Wilderness Magazine.
So get your tree on!
- Stand with your feet slightly apart and parallel – toes straight ahead. Hands on the hips.
- Focus on a spot on the ground about a metre in front of you– this will help your balance.
- Bring the inside of your left foot to your right calf. Stand tall through the right leg
- If this is easy, reach down with your left hand and bring the left foot to the right inner thigh. Lightly press the foot against the right leg while the right leg resists. Do not place the foot on the knee.
- To challenge your balance, look up to the horizon or sky, try closing one or both eyes or try lifting your arms up alongside your ears
- Change to the other side.
Tree pose 101
